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3232116570923A historic guide of York for the informed travelerhttp://nomadicinside.com/york/
http://nomadicinside.com/york/#commentsSun, 10 Dec 2017 19:36:21 +0000http://nomadicinside.com/?p=751Having lived in England for more than 2 years, I decided it was time to explore north of London and visit York. On my way up I couldn’t stop thinking: why haven’t I done this in summer? But then I found out that York is a lovely city and possibly even better during the Christmas […]

]]>Having lived in England for more than 2 years, I decided it was time to explore north of London and visit York.

On my way up I couldn’t stop thinking: why haven’t I done this in summer? But then I found out that York is a lovely city and possibly even better during the Christmas season. Karim and I were blessed with 2 days of sun and relatively warm weather, so we couldn’t have asked for more.

York is a small city in northern England with an old history. From Roman occupation to the Viking one to the invention of the railway, the history of the city is written in its walls and buildings, easily accessible for anyone who wants to read it. In this guide I will show you how.

Roman York and York Minster

A bunch of criminals

The Romans conquered Britannia (i.e. England) and fought with the various tribes that populated the island. In York, they defeated the Brigantes tribe and called the city Ebocarum. If you’re not Italian this probably won’t ring a bell, but I was excited when I read this, as in modern Italian a “brigante” is a criminal!

York minster

I’ve learned about the Brigantes visiting the museum of the York Minster. Minster is a honorific title for important churches in England. It’s different from a cathedral, as only the residence of an archbishop can be a cathedral. The name minster comes from Latin monasterium, and in Old English the word was actually a synonym of monastery. York’s minster is one of the most important in England, although the most famous is probably Westminster in London. Sounds familiar, right?

York Minster

York minster was built on the remains of the Roman fortress, making it basically a 2,000 year old building. You can visit inside for £10. You can climb the tower for £15 and get the best view of York. If the ticket is worth paying, that depends on what you like. The cathedral itself is beautiful, and you have access to the museum that tells the story of the building. The best finding for me was learning about the Brigantes and looking at a version of the Bible written nothing less than 1,000 years ago!

Karim and I climbing the towerView from York Minster

Climbing the tower can be a bit claustrophobic. Karim had his backpack with him, which almost blocked him on the way up! Once on top you can see the city. Nice view but honestly not the best I’ve ever seen.

Karim stuck on the stairs

City walls

The other big Roman remain is the city walls. You can actually have a walk there, and I recommend to go as you get a very nice view of the city and the minster. This time for free!

View of the Minster from city walls

The Viking age: discover Jorvik

Jorvik was the name of York in the Viking period, around 1,000 years ago (J pronounced as Y). In the 70s archeologists found an impressive site with many remains of this age. Analysing all these findings, they were able to understand many aspects of the everyday life in that time.

Today you can visit the Jorvik museum for £10. I really recommend it as it’s very different from most museums. They have reconstructed the ancient village of Jorvik and you can take a tour of it on a train. The audioguide is included and available in many languages.

Jorvik museum

You will see typical houses, the market with people selling various products, women dyeing textiles, children playing a popular board game (similar to modern chess), and even Viking loos! I think this is a great way to learn about microhistory. It’s very entertaining and good for both adults and children.

After the tour, you can visit the most traditional part of the museum and look some of the remains found by the archeologists. You can see ornaments, tools, musical instrument that technically could still be played, a perfectly conserved sock, and even a piece of stools!

What I liked most was the 3 human skeletons found intact. You can learn how to read a skeleton to discover who these people were and how they lived. For example, it’s possible to find out where they were born and where they lived based on their diet and how it changed from childhood to adulthood. You can also read diseases and accidents in the bones.

The Shambles

The Shambles is the most ancient street in York. You can still see the buildings as they used to be many centuries ago. The street is very narrow and the houses on the opposite sides seem to be pushing forward and almost touch each other! In modern English “shambles” means a state of confusion or untidiness, which I think perfectly describes the street.

The Shambles in York

It’s not sure how old it is, but I’ve read the the most ancient mention of it dates 1080. Just imagine how many people have ever walked there!

Guy Fawkes

Remember, remember!

The fifth of November,

the Gunpowder treason and plot;

I know of no reason

why the Gunpowder treason

should ever be forgot!

This is the start of the The Fifth of November, an English folk verse from 1870. It’s talking about the Gunpowder plot that saw 13 Catholic men trying to blow up the parliament to stop the persecution of their religion by protestant King James I. Guy Fawkes wasn’t the leader of the plot, but being an expert in fireworks he was supposed to match the fire that would blow up the parliament.

Only he didn’t.

He was caught just in time and later tortured and executed. That day was the 5th November 1605, and since the following year the British started a tradition of bonfires, today known as Guy Fawkes day.

So, why am I talking about it in this post? It turns out that Guy Fawkes was born nothing less than in York. I discovered this simply wandering around and stumbling across the Guy Fawkes inn. Initially thinking it was just a marketing exercise, I then researched and found out that this is actually Guy Fawkes’ birthplace.

Guy Faukes Inn

Guy Fawkes also attended St Peter’s school in York – the only place in the UK that refuses to light up the bonfire on the 5th November!

National Railway museum

When Karim told me he wanted to bring me to the National Railway museum I initially tried to find all excuses not to go. The museum is a bit farther away from the city centre (it’s close to a Network Rail’s headquarter – the company that manages the railways in the UK). But he works there and seemed very excited to show me the trains, so in the end I said yes – and did the right thing!

As you probably know, the British invented the train (which BTW is also why all trains worldwide run on the left, like the cars in the UK). And since York has always been an important railway hub, it seems like the right place to visit this kind of museum.

Homage to George Stephenson, inventor of the train, from Ferrovieri d’Italia

There you can find various examples of trains and their history. I’ve learned that one of the first trains ever invented was the Rocket, designed by the father of railways, engineer George Stepehenson. I’ve also seen a model of the Flying Scotsman, the first express train connecting Edinburgh and London since 1862. And a quirky fact: in the past you had to pay a ticket to enter the platform, even if you were only accompanying someone and not actually taking a train!

Platform ticket machines

Other things to do in York

If you’re visiting York during Christmas time, you should definitely visit the market in the city centre. If possible, try to go on a weekday because during the weekend it was so full of people that you could hardly walk and you had to queue to do anything – even outside of the market.

Many shops had a queue to enter, which was quite frustrating. I hate queuing, but eventually gave up as it was the only way to do anything. To take a break from the cold, we decided to have an afternoon tea. This is a typical British tradition since the 19th century. Following the example of the queen, the upper class used to have tea with some light sandwiches at around 4pm. The lower class also had a similar tradition, called high tea, which was heavier than afternoon tea and consumed a few hours later as a substitute for dinner.

Today you can experience afternoon tea in many cafes in the UK, but mind that they are not light at all, as they serve tea with a few sandwiches and tons of sweets and cakes. The food can vary from place to place, but you would normally find a scone, a typical English cake best eaten with cream and marmalade.

Afternoon tea with scone in the middle

For our afternoon tea we went to Bettys café. This is a traditional tea room, I had received a recommendation to go there by a local and wasn’t disappointed despite the 30 minutes wait.

You can also take a boat trip along the river and join a ghost tour. These are quite traditional things to do in UK so you can have similar experience in other cities.

]]>http://nomadicinside.com/york/feed/8751Malaga: travel guide for the smart travellerhttp://nomadicinside.com/malaga/
http://nomadicinside.com/malaga/#commentsSat, 18 Nov 2017 18:31:14 +0000http://nomadicinside.com/?p=559I have spent a lovely weekend in Malaga with my boyfriend. We both fell in love with the city and decided it deserved to dig deeper and so some good research before writing. In this blog/vlog you will find the result of this research: the best places to go to in Malaga, the best food […]

]]>I have spent a lovely weekend in Malaga with my boyfriend. We both fell in love with the city and decided it deserved to dig deeper and so some good research before writing. In this blog/vlog you will find the result of this research: the best places to go to in Malaga, the best food and highlights of the city, its history and finally also what to avoid. You can either read or watch the video, your choice!

Why you should go to Malaga

What I loved the most of Malaga is the city centre. While Malaga is a very big city, the old centre is quite small and completely pedestrianised. I loved to stroll around the little streets and watch the people there living their lives, locals and tourists alike. Restaurants and taparías (restaurants that specialise in tapas) were always full and lively.

As you may already know, in Spain people tend to eat quite late. It’s normal for them to have lunch at 3pm and dinner at 9pm or later. However, restaurants in Malaga were always full regardless of the time and it was difficult to find a place to stay. You almost get the feeling that people in Malaga spend their time eating out!

But when you find your table, you can just relax there and enjoy the great food and atmosphere. We spent a lot of time in the city centre and tried various places and different types of food. It was very relaxing and good for the spirit (and the belly too)!

History of Malaga

Malaga is a big city in Andalusia, which is the southernmost region in Spain. Apparently the city is also very ancient, being founded around 3000 years ago. To give you a well known comparison, London was founded by the Romans “only” 2000 years ago.

The first to arrive were the Phoenicians, who called the city Malaka. After them, arrived the Carthaginians (who had an empire in North Africa), and when they were eventually defeated by the Romans, Malaga became part of the Roman empire.

As we know, empires rise and empires fall.

So after the Romans it was the time of the Moors. The Arab empire reached its greatest expansion in the year 750AD, when the Caliphate occupied all Spain, Northern Africa, Arabic peninsula, and Persia.

The Moors gradually lost land in Spain tough, and eventually the Catholic Monarchs Isabella and Fernando jointly unified Spain as we know it today, with the so-called Reconquista, which ended in 1492 (a few months before Columbus came back from the Americas, effectively opening a new page in Spanish history).

In more recent history, Malaga is proud of having given birth to a few personalities, most notably the paintor Pablo Picasso and actor Antonio Banderas.

Today, in Malaga you can perceive this varied and rich history. We visited a Roman theater, a Moorish castle, and a Catholic Cathedral. You can also visit more than one Picasso museums (the art gallery, the house where Picasso was born, and the Picasso foundation).

What to visit

If you haven’t read the paragraph above, you may want to do it now, because the city’s attractions are linked to its history.

Roman Theater

The Roman theater is vey well preserved and every history geek should go and see it. I loved to sit in the middle of the theater and imagine how it must have been to be there millennia ago. Entrance is free.

Moorish Malaga: Alcazaba and Gibralfaro

Close to the theater, there is the Alcazaba – a Moorish fortress built in the 11th century. You can visit inside and buy a combined ticket for the Gibralfaro (€3.5), which is the Moorish castle on top of a hill. The two are quite close, but mind that I haven’t used the word hill for nothing. It is a steep walk, so make sure you wear comfortable shoes (I have seen people walking bare-foot because they had made the wrong choice) and bring TONS of water.

Once you get to the top of the hill there is a viewpoint over the city. I have to say, tough, I have seen better and unless you are seriously into history you can avoid this visit. For me, the most interesting thing was seeing a 3D model of the city that showed the most important places and gave an idea of how the city evolved (I am a bit of a map geek too!). Also, to be fair, I can definitely say that you pay a fair price for what you get.

The Cathedral

The Cathedral is in the pedestrian city centre and quite hard to miss. It’s huge and has a small garden outside. There is a ticket to visit (you can either visit the church, the museum, or go to the top. Of course, there are all sorts of ticket combinations).

We went on a Sunday morning and attended the service, which means we entered for free. You may find this weird – I am not religious but I like attending the Sunday Service! I have seen various ones in different countries, and I like to see how they all resemble each other to some extent but also have their differences. What I noticed about this one were the high number of people attending the service who were constantly using a fan. This is hardly surprising given how hot it was, but I still found it peculiar. Outside the cathedral there was also a stand selling fans!

The food

We absolutely loved the food. We opted for tapas, the typical Spanish food. Tapas can actually be pretty much anything, but the point is that the portion is very small. This is great because it means you can try and taste various things. We opted for a few classics of Spain:

Patatas bravas – potatoes with a spicy sauce

Croquetas de pollo – chicken croquette

Charcuterie: jamón iberico and chorizo

Gazpacho soup – a cold tomato soup

And to accompany that we often drank a cerveza (beer) or a copa de Sangria (the traditional fruity wine). Delicious!

We also bought a variety of seeds, dried fruits, and caramelised nuts. This is also very typical of Spain and in Malaga we could found stands selling those everywhere.

The Malagueta beach and the Harbour

The city centre of Malaga is also very close to the beach. Malagueta is quite popular with locals and tourists alike, mainly because it’s 15 minute walk from the centre. The beach itself it’s not great and the water didn’t encourage us to swim, but we rented 2 sun-beds and umbrella for €8 and spent a few relaxing hours there.

Much more interesting is the harbour. There is a promenade and a market full of stands – which is where we bought the seeds. I loved the atmosphere there both during the day and at night. But the best time to be there is probably sunset. We enjoyed a happy hour sitting on a sofa watching the sunset, it was a bit over-expensive but it was worth it!

What I didn’t like

If I have to put a negative note on my stay in Malaga, unfortunately this is about the service we received in various places. We often found rude people working in restaurants and renting the sun-beds. I have lived in Spain for a few months (Valencia and Bilbao) and I don’t remember having experienced anything similar. So maybe it was just us being unlucky?

Where to stay

Malaga is a very big city and I would really recommend to find a place near the city centre. We found an Airbnb flat in Plaza de la Merced, which is about the perfect location. Just outside the ancient walls, we were in the centre in a few minutes and to the beach in around 20 minutes.

The vlog

]]>http://nomadicinside.com/malaga/feed/3559Chinese Moon Festival: its origin, meaning, and mooncakehttp://nomadicinside.com/moon-festival/
http://nomadicinside.com/moon-festival/#commentsSun, 08 Oct 2017 22:28:28 +0000http://nomadicinside.com/?p=626This week is the Moon Festival, or Mid-Autumn Festival. China and various Asian countries celebrate, including chinatowns in western cities. Today I went to Chinatown in London to get one (or two) mooncakes. The Moon Festival is the second most important holiday in China after the new year or Spring festival. This year, the Mid-Autumn […]

]]>This week is the Moon Festival, or Mid-Autumn Festival. China and various Asian countries celebrate, including chinatowns in western cities. Today I went to Chinatown in London to get one (or two) mooncakes.

This year, the Mid-Autumn festival falls on the 4th October, but events and celebrations started last weekend.

What is the Moon Festival?

The Moon Festival is a very ancient Chinese tradition. It was an occasion to celebrate for the harvest and worship the moon. The Festival takes place on the full moon of the 8th month of the lunar calendar, which usually falls between September and October.

Since ancient times, the Moon Festival is an occasion for families to spend time together, a bit like Christmas in Western countries.

The Mooncake

The Mooncake is the traditional Chinese pastry that families eat together during the Mid-Autumn Festival. The mooncake is a round shaped pastry that resembles the moon. The circular shape also represents the unity of the family and it is believed to bring good luck.

The mooncake is usually around 5cm to 10cm and you can find it in various flavours, although different regions have their own traditional mooncake.

The mooncake has inside a full egg yolk, which also resembles the moon. I once had a Chinese colleague who told me that the mooncake is meant to be shared. You would cut the cake into slices, and the person who gets the slice with the full egg yolk will be lucky.

The Moon Festival in London

Chinatown in London was busier than usual with many bakeries and supermarkets selling mooncakes in various sizes, colours, and even fancy gift boxes. On the streets there were activities for children, including lantern decoration and calligraphy courses. We saw also various political manifestations and charity fundraising activities.

For me, the best part of the trip was wandering around in the many Chinese bakeries. I liked looking at the pastries they offer, so different from the rest of London! In the end I decided to try a bubble waffle with matcha gelato and nutella. But it’s probably more of a trendy fad rather than Chinese tradition!

]]>http://nomadicinside.com/moon-festival/feed/186263 unmissable day trips from Lisbonhttp://nomadicinside.com/day-trips-from-lisbon/
http://nomadicinside.com/day-trips-from-lisbon/#commentsSat, 23 Sep 2017 21:02:09 +0000http://nomadicinside.com/?p=565Lisbon has been probably one of my favourite trips this year. If you’re planning to visit the Portuguese capital, you can check my blog/vlog on what to do in Lisbon. As you will see, there is plenty to do! However, if you’re staying for some time, it’s worth to try a few day trips from […]

]]>Lisbon has been probably one of my favourite trips this year. If you’re planning to visit the Portuguese capital, you can check my blog/vlog on what to do in Lisbon. As you will see, there is plenty to do! However, if you’re staying for some time, it’s worth to try a few day trips from Lisbon.

In this blog/vlog I will show you 3 great day trips from Lisbon:

Sintra, the former royal residence

Belém, the place where the pastel de nata – the most iconic Portuguese pastry – was invented

Cabo de Roca, alas the end of the world!

You can watch the video and read the blog – or choose one of the them, although the 2 complement each other!

#1 Sintra – day trips from Lisbon

How to go to Sintra

Sintra is a town around 40 minutes away from Lisbon. You can go there by train from Rossio Square station in Lisbon. Sintra is on a hill and historically it was the place where Portugal’s kings went to spend the summer and escape Lisbon’s heat. You will feel that it’s cooler, so bear in mind to bring more clothes with you. You will want to wear trainers too or comfortable shoes because there is a lot of walking.

What is there to see

Sintra is a very touristic town. The centre is very small and all around it there are castles and estates to visit, as you can see in the map. Although most people, like us, do a 1 day trip, I would recommend to spend at least 2 days if you plan to visit all.

Palacio da Pena

The Pena Palace was the royal residence and today is the most famous and iconic building in Sintra, and possibly of all Portugal. For this reason we didn’t want to miss it. The palace is beautiful and colorful like a fairy-tale castle. However, I think that the best part is the garden. We walked all the way up to Cruz Alta (High Cross). It’s a 20 minute walk and all up a hill but it’s really worth it. It’s the highest point in Sintra and the view is spectacular.

Most visitors don’t go all the way up there, which was lucky for us and unfortunate for them!

Quinta da Regaleira

Quinta da Regaleira is possibly not the most famous attraction in Sintra, but it should be! It was AMAZING and one of the best places I have ever visited. Quinta means “estate” and Regaleira was the name of the family that owned the place. However, the most interesting place is not the estate itself, but the park.

The park is like wonderland. You will find towers, dark tunnels, secret passages, underground lakes, a labyrinth, a waterfall, and an initiation well on the style of the Templars. We had a lot of fun exploring and playing around and I absolutely recommend to everyone NOT to miss this place.

Watch the video at the bottom to see more!

How to go around Sintra

Sintra is a small town but the places you want to visit are not necessarily at walking distance. Also, the town is built on a hill and most roads don’t have a pavement, which makes it dangerous to walk. You can easily reach by foot the Palacio National de Sintra, right in the town centre, and Quinta da Regaleira, which is a 5 minute walk.

To see everything else, though, you will have to take a bus. There is a bus that goes around Sintra and stops at all major places of interest. I recommend to take it from the Palacio National or from the train station because you have more chances of getting on.

When we arrived at the train station, there were too many people and we decided to walk. We reached Quinta da Regaleira and then decided to take the bus from there to go to Palacio da Pena. Except that the bus didn’t stop. It was already too full. So in the end we walked back and took it from the town centre. Other people that were with us stayed there waiting for the second bus, and we watched their exasperation when the bus didn’t stop again. So you are advised!

Another thing to consider is that the last bus runs at 8pm. We enjoyed our stay at Palacio de Pena so much that wanted to stay as much as possible and ended up taking the very last bus! It was starting to get dark, so walking down the hill wouldn’t have been great. The return ticket is €5.50 (half the prize of the ubiquitous tuk-tuks!).

#2 Belém – day trips from Lisbon

Belém is a district west of Lisbon. The tram 28, famous for being the most ancient tram in the world, can get you there. However we opted for the train because it takes 10 minutes instead of 30 and because the tram 28 is ALWAYS full of people, mostly tourists.

Being so close, you can combine 2 day trips from Lisbon, going to Belém and Cascais. Cascais is a beach town where locals go to spend a day at the beach.

Padrao dos Descubrimentos

Belém was the place from where the great Portuguese expeditions departed in the XVI and XVII centuries. Today there is a big monument, Padrao dos Descubrimentos (which translates to “The Monument of Discoveries”) to commemorate this golden time. If you want to know more about this period of Portuguese history, you can check the official website of Portugal.

Torre de Belém

Another architectural sight is the Tower of Belém, which used to be a prison. We didn’t go inside mainly because there was a huge queue!

The Monastery of Jeronimos (i.e. where the monks invented the pastel de nata)

The place we didn’t want to miss was the Monastery of Jeronimos. The monks who lived there invented the famous pastel de nata, the most iconic Portuguese pastry. However, I’m sorry to say that the monastery itself does NOT deserve its €10 entry and 30 minute queue. There is really nothing to see apart from what you see in the picture above. It is nice, but not worth the trouble.

Something that deserved our time and money, though, was the Pastel de Belém, the bakery to which the monks sold the original recipe of the pastel de nata. To this day, this is the only bakery to know the original recipe. Maybe it is the power of suggestion, but we felt that these pastel de nata were delicious and somewhat different from the others we had eaten!

#3 Cabo de Roca – day trips from Lisbon

Cabo de Roca is famous for being the westernmost point in Europe. For centuries, people believed this was the end of the world! The landscape is pretty wild, with cliffs, rocks, and the Atlantic Ocean.

There isn’t much to do but I still liked the feeling of being at the edges of the continent. I loved the landscape so much that I have used the pictures taken there for the header of this blog!

Unfortunately, there is only one, possibly overpriced, cafe/restaurant, so you may want to bring your own food. Also, I’m afraid that the restaurant has the only available toilet in the area and they allow only customers to go. They are quite strict on that, they even have gates like the ones you find to enter the underground! We ended up having a coffee, which was quite annoying, but there was no other choice.

Finally, you can find here the vlog for more imagery of these beautiful locations!

]]>http://nomadicinside.com/day-trips-from-lisbon/feed/18565My (dis)adventure in Denmark: Billund and Vejlehttp://nomadicinside.com/denmark/
http://nomadicinside.com/denmark/#commentsTue, 12 Sep 2017 21:07:14 +0000http://nomadicinside.com/?p=524One day I come back home and I find my boyfriend sitting in front of the computer. He looks at me with an expression hard to decipher and says: Would you like to go to Denmark next weekend? I didn’t even ask for details and replied “yes” straight away. And so we booked 2 […]

]]>One day I come back home and I find my boyfriend sitting in front of the computer. He looks at me with an expression hard to decipher and says:

Would you like to go to Denmark next weekend?

I didn’t even ask for details and replied “yes” straight away.

And so we booked 2 tickets to Billund, Denmark. Departure from London at 7am and return from Billund at 10pm and £30ish less in our bank accounts.

It was a leap of faith in many ways. We had never done a day trip that required flying. We had never been to Denmark and knew little of the country. And we were very excited despite a 3.45am alarm clock!

Arrived in Billund, Denmark

You do need local currency

Once we arrived in Billund airport we looked for the bus to take us to the city centre. And here we had the first surprise. The bus didn’t accept cards. We didn’t have any cash. This was another leap of faith that we took. In London you can buy anything with card, including bus rides, and we were hoping we wouldn’t have needed to exchange. Unfortunately we had to go to an ATM and withdraw some Danish Kroner.

The phantom city centre

It took us very little to get to the centre, around 20 minutes. When the driver told us that was our stop I just couldn’t believe it. The place was completely deserted. Everyone else got off at the previous stop – Legoland – and it was now only us and another couple who disappeared instantly.

We started walking in what was supposed to be the city centre, but there was nothing and no one. There were only houses, gardens, and trees. Certainly good for our lungs but not much else. We eventually found a restaurant on the main road – Italian, of course. Even if we wanted to go to an Italian place in Denmark, we couldn’t have because the place was closed.

Legoland and Lalandia

After a while of walking without meeting any other people, it was clear to us that the entire city was either in Legoland or in Lalandia.

Legoland is the main attraction on Billund and possibly one of the most famous parks in the country. Indeed, Lego was founded in Billund, alongside the first Legoland. You can also find a Lego Hotel, a Lego House, and many Lego sculptures scattered around the airport.

Lalandia is a huge shopping and entertainment centre very close to Legoland. They have all you can think of. Restaurants, shops, a water park, a gym, and much more. You can do any sort of sport, and there is a lot for children too.

An interesting pool in Lalandia

Doing our research we did know about these places, but we didn’t want to go there. We just wanted a taste of Denmark.

We ended up having lunch at Lalandia (all other places we saw were closed!) and then decided to get the hell out of there. At the airport we saw a bus that went to Vejle. We checked and Vejle is a city not far from Billund, around 40 minutes by bus. We looked at a few pictures online and decided to go.

Vejle, Denmark

Vejle was way better!!

We had a stroll in a live city centre and we were even lucky enough to find a wine festival. There were a lot of people, stands, and a band playing music. Shops and restaurants were open and fully in business.

We didn’t know much about the city as the trip was totally improvised, but we really enjoyed walking along these people with not a single worry in the world. The weather was also our friend, as it was hot and sunny. We ended up sitting outside in a café along the river relaxing and enjoying the sun.

Vejle is not a touristic place – as you can tell from the absence of tourist shops. But it’s a very pretty city with a historical city centre and more modern buildings farther away. The most impressive is certainly The Wave in Vejle, a massive building still under construction. I would love to rent a flat there for a while, see the inside and enjoy the view over the fjord!

The Wave in VejleThe view over the Fjord

Would I do it again?

This trip was not quite what I expected, but in the end it was a good one!

Doing a day trip taking a plane is quite risky. For example, if you find some delay at the airport, your trip may as well be ruined. The weather is another question mark. Take a cold and rainy day and the trip will not be as good.

However, the risk is outbalanced by the cheap cost of the tickets. If you’re wondering why we went to Billund and not Copenhagen, for example, well here you are. The return ticket was £30. For us, taking a train from London and do a day trip in England can be more expensive than that.

So, would I do it again?

Yes, and indeed I will!

Just before I started writing this blog, my boyfriend and I have booked a day trip to Toulouse, France for next month.

Update: Ryanair cancelled our flight to Toulouse, so no trip this time!

]]>http://nomadicinside.com/denmark/feed/12524Vlog – A lavender field just outside London: Mayfield Lavender Farmhttp://nomadicinside.com/lavender-field-london/
http://nomadicinside.com/lavender-field-london/#commentsWed, 09 Aug 2017 20:54:47 +0000http://nomadicinside.com/?p=475If you live near London or are planning to visit the British capital and would like to experience something a bit different, then you should keep reading. About 40 minutes from Central London you can find yourselves immersed in nature in a lavender field. It’s basically like being in Provence. Watch this video to have […]

]]>If you live near London or are planning to visit the British capital and would like to experience something a bit different, then you should keep reading.

About 40 minutes from Central London you can find yourselves immersed in nature in a lavender field. It’s basically like being in Provence.

Watch this video to have a look at the field and what it has to offer. But make sure you read until the end for more information on how to get there!

A half-day trip to a lavender field

Mayfield Lavender Farm is a private field, but the owners open it to visitors during summer. This is indeed the season to visit, as the plant flourishes between June and September.

Mayfield lavender is the perfect place to spend half a day in. You can take stunning pictures! And if you have children they will have a lot of fun walking around the camp.

What to buy

There is also a shop selling all sorts of lavender products – from food to soaps to lavender itself. Watch the video on top to get a better idea of the field and have a look at the products I’ve bought! (since I’ve now eaten almost everything, I can say they were delicious!)

How to get to Mayfield Lavender Farm

To reach Mayfield Lavender Farm from London you have to take a train from London Victoria to Purley. From there, you need to take the bus 166 (stop G) until you reach the field. The entire journey lasts around 45 minutes.

]]>http://nomadicinside.com/lavender-field-london/feed/11475Cannes: culture, history, and the best things to dohttp://nomadicinside.com/cannes/
http://nomadicinside.com/cannes/#commentsSat, 29 Jul 2017 10:44:03 +0000http://nomadicinside.com/?p=439In this blog I’m going to share with you my experience in Cannes. I’ve spent there a week with my parents. We went there mainly to relax and spend some time together – I’ve moved abroad but I’ve kept the habit of going on holiday with them every summer. The festival of cinema Cannes of […]

]]>In this blog I’m going to share with you my experience in Cannes. I’ve spent there a week with my parents. We went there mainly to relax and spend some time together – I’ve moved abroad but I’ve kept the habit of going on holiday with them every summer.

The festival of cinema

Cannes of course is famous for the festival of cinema. The golden palm is a true symbol of the city and you find it everywhere. Painted on the floor in front of the festival building, sculpted in the garden of the Carlton hotel and printed in various souvenirs.

Symbol of the golden palmAnd there are also many real palms in Cannes!

The symbol of the golden palm comes from the city’s history. According to official website of the Cannes festival, the city’s motto is

Praemium palma victori

which means: The prize of victory is the palm. This may sound weird, but it comes from an ancient legend of Saint Honorat, You can read the story here.

Le Chamin de l’etoile, the French version of the Walk of Fame in LAIf you are with children, they will surely have fun with these! There are many from famous films all over the city

Trompes d’œil

Trompes d’œil (optical illusions) are common in most French cities. In Cannes, surprise surprise, they are almost entirely about cinema. I’m going to show you here the ones that I have photographed, but I can assure you that there are many more.

I don’t want to disclose where they are, as I think it’s quite fun to wander around and make a discovery by yourself. But if you really want to know, I’ve actually written where they are in an Instagram post.

Luxury

If you love luxury travel, then Cannes is definitely the place for you. We are talking about serious luxury here. There are so many 5star and 4star hotels to choose from, if you have a lot of money to spend.

A famous one in particular is the Carlton Hotel. I would encourage you to stop and look at the facade. You will see a clock. Nothing weird so far, but look closer. You will see that there is a huge Rolex clock. Quite a statement, isn’t it?

But you don’t have to be super rich to have a nice time in Cannes. I stayed in a hotel/apartment calles Citadines Apart’hotel. It’s an interesting business model: basically you have a reception like in a hotel and you can have breakfast. The rooms, however, are small apartments with a kitchen, so you can also save some money by avoiding eating out all the time.

Also, if you want to spend time at beach, you have various options.

Private beach clubs. Here you will pay on average 25€ for an umbrella and chaise longue. I went there with my parents and I can say it was not bad at all for you got

Council beach club. This comes around a half cheaper and is a more basic service

Free beach.

Relaxing at the beach

The old town

The old town is my favorite part of Cannes. As most medieval towns, is placed on top of a hill to be easier to defend. During the day it was a bit empty, no doubt because the heat doesn’t make the climb very attractive.

My dad and I taking a break from the sun in a nice café in the old town (photo credit: mom)

During the night, though, it changes completely. Full of crowded restaurants and shops, it’s great for a stroll after dinner. And when you reach the top, you will get a beautiful view over the city, the harbour, and the coast.

If you are really lazy you can also take a shuttle bus to reach the top.

Shops, food, and art in Cannes

There are 2 great streets for shopping:

Rue d’Antibe. This is for clothes, accessories, and more and you will find mainly big international brands.

Rue Meynadier. This is a pedestrian street full of local shops. You will find a lot of local products, which means a lot of food. I’m not a huge fan of French food (sorry my French readers, but I definitely prefer Italian). However, there are things the French are very good at making, above all sweets and cheese. I strongly advise you to try some of these!

At night, you may also find local markets selling art and other goods. I find this a great way to spend the evening and also a good way to buy presents and souvenirs rather than the touristy shops.

Speaking French in Cannes: the challenge

If the only language you speak is English, well, I don’t have good news for you. The French are a proud people and they don’t particularly like to speak English. In my experience at least, they will reply to you in French.

I speak some French and I got away with a mix of French, Italian, and gestures. Italy is very close to Cannes and there are so many Italians there that most every local would speak or at least understand.

I hope you enjoyed this blog! I had a very good time and I would recommend a visit for those who are looking for a relaxing holiday.

]]>http://nomadicinside.com/cannes/feed/9439Oxford: a little guide and what to do in one dayhttp://nomadicinside.com/oxford-one-day/
http://nomadicinside.com/oxford-one-day/#commentsSun, 18 Jun 2017 22:10:44 +0000http://nomadicinside.com/?p=417Like Brighton, Oxford is a good day trip from London. Being one hour by train from the British capital, it’s a great way to spend a sunny weekend! The University of Oxford Of course, one of the things you wouldn’t want to miss in your day trip to Oxford is its famous university. You can […]

]]>Like Brighton, Oxford is a good day trip from London. Being one hour by train from the British capital, it’s a great way to spend a sunny weekend!

The University of Oxford

Of course, one of the things you wouldn’t want to miss in your day trip to Oxford is its famous university. You can breathe the academic culture as soon as you arrive, as at the train station you can read:

Welcome to Oxford, a city of learning and culture

The Colleges

Karim, me, and the Oxford colleges

There are 38 Colleges in Oxford and are usually open to visitors under a small fee. If you are particularly interested in visiting one building, I suggest you make your checks in advance, because some of them may close for internal events. For example, Karim and I wanted to visit the Christ Church College, whose Great Hall is nothing less than the Hogwarts Great Hall! But, unfortunately, it was closed.

The Great Hall of the Balliol College

So we visited the Balliol College, the most ancient college in Oxford and thus one of the most ancient in the world. It’s possible to visit it by paying a fee of £3. The Balliol College was established in 1263 by John de Balliol. He didn’t do it out of the kindness of his heart, however.

The Kind of England required him to do an act of charity as a punishment for a dispute with the Bishop of Durham. So, he decided to give one of his properties for the use of scholars. After his death, his widow, Dervorguilla of Galloway, made arrangements to keep the college open indefinitely.

The Radcliffe Camera

The Radcliffe Camera is a peculiar building in the hearth of Oxford. It’s the reading room of the Bodleian Library and it is possible to visit it. But again, check before you plan your travel because when we arrived today it was closed. This building was also a set of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, for the scene when Ms Mcgonagall teaches her students to dance.

Punting

People punting in the Thames

Punting is quite a classic in most British towns with a river. I’ve done it in Cambridge and Canterbury so I’ve decided I’d rather explore around by foot. However, it’s a nice ride along the river and I would encourage first timers to try it.

Karim and I lost in the green and the Oxford colleges in the backgorund

In conclusion, Oxford has been a great day trip from London, even though I have to say I have preferred Cambridge (sorry!). I’m not sure why, it may be because Cambridge looked more like a small, traditional town and I had a very good time there. I was expecting something similar from Oxford, but it appeared to me as a big, urban city full of tourists.

]]>http://nomadicinside.com/oxford-one-day/feed/1417Brighton, a day trip from London you should tryhttp://nomadicinside.com/brighton-day-trip-from-london/
http://nomadicinside.com/brighton-day-trip-from-london/#commentsSat, 10 Jun 2017 21:19:07 +0000http://nomadicinside.com/?p=397Today I enjoyed a lovely day in Brighton, a city on the English coast and an hour by train from London. It’s definitely the ideal trip for a hot summer weekend day. About the English weather Before I say anything about Brighton, a brief thought about the English weather and why you should take advantage […]

]]>Today I enjoyed a lovely day in Brighton, a city on the English coast and an hour by train from London. It’s definitely the ideal trip for a hot summer weekend day.

About the English weather

Before I say anything about Brighton, a brief thought about the English weather and why you should take advantage of a sunny day.

When I decided to move to England, a part of me thought I was crazy to leave Italy for a country where it’s always cold and rainy. It didn’t take me long, though, to realize I was completely wrong. It probably rains more in Como than in London. And it’s really not much colder (Como is in northern Italy anyway…).

Something else I learned quite quickly, though, is that the weather is always changing. Therefore, if it’s sunny and hot (it does happen, believe it or not), you’d better take advantage straight away, before the clouds and wind are back.

Today was one of these sunny and (almost) hot days. I did take advantage and looked for the cheapest ticket that could bring me easily out of the big British capital. The best candidate was Brighton. I paid around £11 for a return ticket, which is very good for the English standards.

Brighton

Promenade

For me, the best part of Brighton is the beach promenade. It’s a very nice stroll. Along the way you will find many traditional fish and chips shops, which have almost disappeared in London.

Piers

The Brighton Pier is a tourist attraction with a fun park and restaurants. I went there and my boyfriend won me a donut – basically one of my teenage dreams come true.

Not far from the Brighton Pier there is the skeleton of another pier, the West Pier. It partially collapsed in 2002 and it’s been abandoned after taking fire the following year.

Parks

There are also a few parks where to walk and have a pic-nic. It’s nothing like the big parks you find in London, but the Royal Pavillion, with its Indian building, is okay.

i360

The i360 is one of the most famous tourist attraction in Brighton. It opened last year and is pretty much like the London Eye, but a tower rather than a wheel. It brings you up 162 meters and you can enjoy the view. I didn’t bother going so I can’t recommend it or not, but it has good reviews.

Beach

Finally, of course, there is the beach itself. After a lot of walking, we decided to sit on the deck chairs. They cost £2.50 for the entire day, and it’s a bit more comfortable than sitting on the rocky beach. For us it was still a bit cold but someone was even swimming!

Brighton is not a small town. It’s actually quite a big city and the centre is also quite nice and full of shops and shopping centers. However, you get all of that in London, so I’ve decided to enjoy all the day at the beach, strolling and relaxing.

]]>http://nomadicinside.com/brighton-day-trip-from-london/feed/2397Vlog: 11+ top tips to spend a great week in Lisbonhttp://nomadicinside.com/vlog-top-tips-week-in-lisbon/
http://nomadicinside.com/vlog-top-tips-week-in-lisbon/#respondThu, 01 Jun 2017 20:23:31 +0000http://nomadicinside.com/?p=378In this blog/vlog, I am sharing my experience in the Portuguese capital. I have a very good memory of my week in Lisbon at the end of April. Partly,because it was my very first travel with my boyfriend. But love story apart, I personally found Lisbon and its people truly amazing. I didn’t like the city straight […]

]]>In this blog/vlog, I am sharing my experience in the Portuguese capital. I have a very good memory of my week in Lisbon at the end of April. Partly,because it was my very first travel with my boyfriend. But love story apart, I personally found Lisbon and its people truly amazing.

I didn’t like the city straight away, but after a few days I started to feel its vibe, and by the end of the week I just wished I had more time to spend there. Nevertheless, I’m offering an honest review, talking about good, the bad, and the ugly.

Top 11 things to do in a week in Lisbon

I have decided to share this experience with a video. Watch it to see what I advise as top 11 things to do in a week in Lisbon. The video gives a good overview of the city and its offers.

11 things may look like a lot, but the truth is Lisbon is quite small to be a capital city, and you will be able to do most of these things in a few days. In fact, during my visit I have done 3 trips outside the city, which I’ll cover in another post.

The topics in the video include the best city neighborhoods, viewpoints, and activities. I also talk about the culture of Lisbon and Portugal, including food, music, and architecture. Finally, I don’t speak Portuguese but I’ve tried to offer a very basic language support!

Below you will find additional considerations about Lisbon that I haven’t included in the video.

Lisbon’s atmosphere: expectations vs reality

One of the things I liked more about Lisbon is its atmosphere and vibe. I currently live in a capital city, London. I am used to its fast paced rhythm, the crowd, and the stress it can cause sometimes.

Lisbon is also a capital city, so I was expecting something somewhat similar. I was wrong. Despite being the capital of Portugal, it has the atmosphere of a small city or town.

I hardly saw any crowd, even in the very centre. I found very little traffic. I saw almost no one wearing suits or rushing to get the bus.

One of the most central squares in Lisbon, with a few, relaxed people strolling

At the same time, Lisbon, like London, is very touristic. Mass tourism can sometimes ruin the travel experience. But to be fair, it is very difficult to avoid it, especially when visiting a big city.

My main tip would be to avoid the restaurants in the Baixa – they are really just for tourists: very expensive and generally not good! For a bit more authenticity, try the Bairro Alto and the Alfama instead (watch the video to know more).

Things to be aware of when traveling to Lisbon

I would like to add a few more considerations about Lisbon.

LANGUAGES:

Some locals (not all) don’t speak English, even if they work in the tourism industry. The most popular foreign language seemed to be French. If the locals see you are a tourist, they often speak to you in French straight away. Spanish is also a good option. I often got away with a mix of Italian, English, and Spanish.

SARDINES AS SOUVENIRS:

As you will immediately realize when arriving in Lisbon, Sardines are among the most popular foods. Portugal has a strong tradition of canned fish, originally considered a food for the poor, but now an ubiquitous and loved souvenir. In particular, it’s common to find sardines in vintage and very good looking cans.

In Rossio Square, there is even a store that sells ONLY canned sardines!

I used to pass there every day and by the end of the week I decided I had to buy one (or two). The problem is that canned sardines contain oil, which is a liquid. Therefore, if traveling by plane with no hold luggage you have to buy a can no heavier than 100 grams. I didn’t think about it as a liquid, so the thought that my souvenir wouldn’t pass through the security check at the airport never crossed my mind.

Karim in the sardines store

ACCESSIBILITY:

If you have a disability or have difficulties to walk, Lisbon may not be the best choice for you. First of all, it’s built around hills. Secondly, the calçadas (special pavements – watch the video!) may be beautiful but they can also be dangerous. I have almost fell down many times while walking these pavements. I have also noticed a fair amount of people of all ages with crutches …

THE WEATHER:

I have visited Lisbon at the end of April, and it was already quite hot, reaching 25 degrees on some days. 25 degrees may not sound terrible, but when walking a lot under the sun, it feels like it’s much hotter. Therefore, if you suffer from heat, you should avoid visiting the city in full summer.

DRUGS:

Lisbon is no Amsterdam, but Portugal decriminalised drugs. During our week in Lisbon we have been approached countless times by people trying to sell us some drugs. They weren’t exactly dodgy people, but it was still quite annoying. They had no problem approaching us even during the day and with police people in sight, showing us their “good stuff”. After a few days, I could spot them a mile away.